Airplane landing gear



Feb. 3,1948. w, QDEN 2,435,459

AIRPLANE LANDING GEAR v Filed Feb. 19, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 0F FL Feb. 3, 1948.

w. ODEN AIRPLANE LANDING GEAR Filed Feb. 19, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 004/ @FH/G Feb. 3, 1948. w. L. CDEN AIRPLANE LANDING GEAR Filed Feb. 19,1943

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 3, 1948 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE AIRPLANE LANDING GEAR William L. Odell, Nashville, Tenn. Application February 19, 1943, Serial No. 476,438

This invention relates to airplane landing gear and specifically to the pneumatic tires thereof.

It is particularly aimed to provide a means which will, without the application of extraneous power, cause the wheels of the landing gear to rotate in forward direction at approximately the landing ground speed of the particular airplane on which the invention is used in order to prevent the usual skidding of the wheels and tires when contact is made with the runway surface, thereby to avoid the excessive wear occasioned by such skidding, in order to prolong the life of the tires.

It also is aimed to provide constructions whereby the means which cause the rotation of the wheels or tires is collapsible but which readily will extend or expand when the wheels are projected.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a wheel and tire embodying one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the parts of Figure 1 taken at a right angle thereto;

3 Claims. (01. 244-103) Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken onthe line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view taken on the same plane as Figure 3 but on a slightly larger scale better to show the spring hinge;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a second form of wheel and tire carrying out the invention;

Figure 7 is an edge elevation of the parts of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a third form of the invention showing a tire and wheel;

Figure 10 is a cross section taken on the line Ill-l!) of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a side elevation of a final form of the invention;

Figure 12 is an edge view of the structure of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a cross section taken on the line l3--l3 of Figure 12; and

Figure 14 is a plan view suggesting the ground marking made by the tire of Figiu'e 11. 7

Referring specifically to the drawings and first to the form of Figures 1 to 5, It! represents a conventional airplane wheel having a rim at l l z upon which a pneumatic tire [2 of conventional form is demountably carried. Wheel i0 is journaled on an axle I3 of a bracket l4 and is of conventional construction operable to retract the wheel and tire within the wing, motor nacelle, fuselage or the like, of the airplane, and to'project the same therefrom to operative position in the air stream.

Any suitable number of vanes or the like iii of wood or any other suitable material are equidistantly spaced around the rim l I, being smaller at one end than at the other, and at the smaller end being hinged to such rim by hinges l6. Said hinges I6 include spring l1 whlch'urge the vanes l5 at their larger ends away from rim- I I, to the extent permitted'by flexible elements such as chains 3 fastened to eyelets l9jin rim ll and in openings 20 provided in the larger ends of the vanes I5. I

Along the exterior face of the vanes l5 and preferably centrally and longitudinally thereof are strips 2| of wood, light metal, or the equivalent. These strips protect and reinforce the vanes l5 and they take up any rubbing or wear occasioned in manipulating the wheels into'and out of their recesses in the airplane wing, motor nacelle, fuselage, or the like.

As a result of the construction described, when the Wheels of the airplane equipped with my improvement are retracted within their recesses in the wings, motor nacelle, fuselage, or the like, the vanes l5 are collapsed flat against the same, but when the wheels are projected from such re 'cesses into the air stream preparatory to landing the springs IT project the vanes l5 outwardly at their large ends so that the flaps or vanes 15 will offer resistance to the air at or' near the bottom of the wheel while the vanes at or near the top of the wheel swing in and offer much less resistance to such air. Due to this unbalanced condition, the forces at the bottom and top of the wheel cause the wheel to rotate in a counterclockwise direction when the airplane is travelling forwardly. Rotation of the wheel is proportional to air speed, and the vanes are so adjusted that the wheel will spin at such a speed that when an average normal landing is made the tire will not skid along the surface of the runway as is normally the case, and the tire accordingly will be of much greater life.

Various forms may be resorted to in carrying out the invention. For instance, I may use that disclosed in Figures 6 to 8. In such form the wheel Ill, rim ll', tire l2, axle l3 and bracket l4 correspond to the parts l0, ll, l2, l3, and I4 2,485,469 3 4.. of the preceding form. In lieu of the vanes IS The tread .of Figures llito 13 also will serve as I employ vanes l5 preferably of flexible material an anti-skid tread and will produce a mark on like textile fabric so as to be collapsible, and'genthe ground of the shape illustrated in Figure 14. erally of conical form when distended as shown Iclaim as my invention: in the drawings. These vanes or socks I5 are '5 1. An airplane Wheel comprising a Wheel annuopen at both ends and normally collapse within lus, a plurality of pivotal plates in a circular arthe recesses into which they are retracted. They rangement on one side of the wheel annulus, and are fastened as by bolts 22 to the rim H and a spring at the point of pivotal connection of they have one or mor longitudinall extending ach plate to cause the oppositeend of such plate wooden or'metallic-strips 2| which function like tomove away from the side oflthe'g wheel, said those at 2 l At the larger end each vane or sock spring acting independently 'of,'andin addition to, IE has an endless spring or other cable 23 seany air pressure which might be imposed upon cured therein by an inturned edge portion '24 such plate, and means for preventing excessive stitched in place at 25. The cable or' ring 2 ;3 Will tward movement of the plates in their pivotal collapse with the sock but will expand when i??? .15 action inresponse to air pressure and the action into the position of Figure 8. Also, to prevent of the spring.- backward collapse of the vanesor socks they; 5 2. In combination, a wheel including a rim and have metallic bars or braces 26 within the same a, tire on the mm; a plurality of annularly arhinged as at 21 to one of the bolts 22 and at 28 ranged plates, each hinged at one end to the rim, to one of the strips 2l'l and provided with means to efiect positive move- Anotherform is shown'in'Figure 9 functioning ment of the. opposite'end of suchplate away from likethjat Of thBDl'GCBdiIlg'j-fOlIhS. This form utithe side of-the wheel, said means acting Hide! lizes any desired number of the fabric or other pendently of, and in a-dditionrto, any air pressure, collapsible :conical openended. socks or vanes which might beimposed upon such plates, each l5", substantially like those of .15. These socks of said plates 'being of flaring formation from are fastened :in any-suitable manner-to one side their hinged ends towardxtheir free :ends. of the tire 12" but theygpreferablyeare fastened 3; In combination; a wheel including a rim and by vulcanizing them to a single strip or band 29 a tire on therim; a-plurality of-annularly arof endless form, being-for instance of a rubberized ranged vaneelike members; eachisecuredto the fabric which-in turniis'vulcanized directly to a "30 rim and a spring operatively positioned relative side of thetire as shown: 7 I to each memberand the rim to-effect positive The; further modified form of the invention movement of'anendof such membersraway from shown in Figures 11512;13, will accomplish the the side of the wheel, said means acting indesame result that of the preceding form. In pendently of; and in addition to, any air pressure thisi'orm the pneumatictire l-Zahas jon'the tread Which-might be imposed upon'such members' thereof as part of the rubber ;of its shoe reversed 7 WILLIAM L. ODEN. angularly arranged barsextending from and on opposite sides of a. central bar or rib 3-l "extend REFERENCES CITED mg peripherally of the are. such bars 39 in The following references are of record in the not form -Vs and recesses between the same. 40 fil of zp a 7 Such barsrand recesses present a seriesof conv. 1- r .cave sections-causing high :air resistance in the UNITED STATES PATENTS air stream at the bottom -of the wheel, while the Number Name t tread sectionsat-the top of the wheel face in the 71,373 g n l r 'Apr. 2, 1901 opposite direction nd-=pres nt a convex e o 1414 466 Goodenberger Oct.20 1914 .t rlwind (low air resistance). The unbalanced 193,954 H0dges- Aug. 7: 1877 forces of high air resistance against the tread at 1,333,019 Faucher? Nov. 24, 1931 the bottomvof the tireandlow -air resistance at 2,305,237 Carpenter Dec. 15-, 1-942 the top ofthe tire-cause the tire to rotate in the 2,312,159 Gulotta, Feb; 1943 desired forwarddirection. The strip or ribl3 l ties 2,333,447 Schippel 1 'Nov; 2 I943 thesections together n m t ally st ngthens 2 7,210 Casterline May 2- 1382 eacheother. against groundforces developed when 7 1,225,181 \schleicher May 1917 brakes are =applied.- If such sections {or bars 30 1 V V were not ,connected together, allowing them to FOREIGN help support each other against tangential forces Number .v v Country 7 Dat on the/tire by ground reaction, rapid tread wear 516,738 5 Great Britain- Jan. 10', 1-940 s 14,914 '7 G'reat Britain 11 1896 would result, 

